Born To Be My Baby
by PlotBunnyWranglers
Summary: A cancelled date and a couple of misunderstandings—who knew the night would turn out like this.


**A/N:** This was our contribution to the Fandom for Mental Health compilation earlier this year. Hope you enjoy!

On a side note, for those wondering if/when we are going to update Strong Foundations and/or Stupid Volvo Owner, we will be starting to update those again hopefully within the next few days. Real life and writer's block has been a real hindrance, but we have not abandoned those stories. Thank you for your patience.

* * *

Bella had been acting strange for over a week, and I couldn't make heads or tails of it. I also could not honestly say that it wasn't worrying me. I loved that woman to the ends of the earth and back again, and I'd known fairly early on in our relationship that she was _it_.

We met in a very typical fashion; she was a friend of a friend, invited to his birthday party, where we spent the night talking. We were both recently divorced, not looking for anything serious, yet somehow, it found us. Neither of us could stop thinking about the other, and when I saw her again on New Year's Eve, almost a month later, I remedied the mistake I'd made previously and asked for her number.

After that first kiss at midnight, the rest was, as they say, history.

Three years had passed since then and my forty-fifth birthday was right around the corner. My life was at a crossroad, and I had been putting a lot of thought into the future. My son, Alex, turned eighteen earlier that year and I'd just had one of the proudest moments I had ever experienced at the beginning of that month, watching him walk across that stage to receive his diploma. It was the first time since the day he was born that I actually came close to tears.

At the same time, everything was thrown into perspective. My boy was now a man and would be leaving for college in a couple months, starting on his path of becoming a doctor like his old man and grandfather. Any tie I had left with my ex-wife, Sasha, had fully severed, and I finally felt as if I could truly move on.

However, there were still times that the past seemed to come back to haunt me, and the current situation seemed to be one of them.

Bella and I had slowly begun talking about taking our relationship to the next level, and after all that time together, finally moving her into my house. At first, I thought that was the explanation behind her odd behavior, but when I'd inquired with her about it, and even gave her the option to change her mind, she insisted that wasn't the case.

We'd both been hesitant about taking the plunge into marriage again since the dissolution of our prior ones, our trust shattered by our previous spouses. Each of us had felt the bitter sting of infidelity, but I was at least fortunate to have never borne witness to the act of it. Sasha at least had enough consideration for the fifteen years of our marriage to tell me that she'd found someone else, rather than leaving me to find out for myself through other means. Bella had to find out the hard way, in her own house when she came home early from work one day because she was ill. She had told me many times over the course of our relationship that she'd all but given up on men as a whole, and was so glad I came into her life and changed her mind. But was this too much, too soon? With things going so well and both of us happy, should I have left well enough alone?

I began to think that was the case when I stopped by her apartment one Friday night to pick up another load of boxes to take over to my house. I walked up to her door, fiddling with my keys to find the one she'd given me to let myself in, only to find it already unlocked. Since Bella had told me that she would be busy that evening when she called to cancel our usual Saturday night date, I hadn't expected her to be home. Perhaps she had a project she was working on that she could do from home? Or had someone possibly broken in? My guard went up as I slowly pushed the door open, bracing myself for just about anything—except what met my ears after my first step inside.

"Uh," Bella moaned breathlessly, and I felt my stomach plummet into my gut and my chest tighten. I had just started calming down, assuring myself that she probably just stubbed her toe or something. It was Bella; I had nothing to worry about—then another moan. And then another…and another…increasing in volume, pitch, and frequency. My heart was sinking and I was just about to turn around when I heard her again. "Welcome to the jungle, it gets worse here every day…"

"What?" I muttered under my breath and continued through the apartment, following the sound of her singing the Guns n' Roses classic. Upon reaching her bedroom door, I had to pinch my lips together to restrain the laugh trying to surface.

In nothing but a white tank top and panties, Bella was dancing with her wild, tangled hair thrashing, and I could just barely hear the familiar tune coming from her earbuds. The sound of my normally soft-spoken girlfriend imitating the nasal screech-scream of Axl Rose, in conjunction with spinning in circles with her eyes clenched tight and her iPod secured in her hand, was what finally broke me. I leaned against the doorframe, schooling my expression to not appear as if I was about to burst out laughing, and watched her with a raised eyebrow while I waited for her to notice me there.

"You know where you are? You're in the jungle, baby. You're gonna diiiiiiiiiiii… AHH!" Bella suddenly screamed, her eyes wide open as she gazed at me in shock and she yanked the earbuds out. She attempted to calm her features and brushed her hair back away from her face, revealing her flushed cheeks. Whether it was from dancing in her underwear or getting _caught_ doing so, I wasn't sure. "Hey, babe. What's up?"

"I was just wondering the same thing myself. When you said something came up and you wouldn't be able to make our date tonight, I figured it had to do with work, or maybe your family," I started, folding my arms over my chest and running my gaze over her scantily clad form. "I never realized that dancing in your underwear was such a pressing social engagement."

Bella's breath caught and her mouth fell open, and then she quickly shut off the music still playing on the iPod and set it down on her dresser. "I can explain, Edward. Something really did come up, but it's a little embarrassing."

My curiosity was definitely piqued as she folded her arms around her middle, and even with her head a bit downcast, I could see the color of her cheeks rising. She had never displayed that level of discomfort with me, and I found myself suddenly becoming very angry. Not at her, but at whatever or whomever was the cause behind it. As I began to step toward her, I finally noticed the clothing lying out on her bed and I paused. There was a Guns n' Roses t-shirt with the sleeves removed and the bottom hem torn into strips to create a fringe type look, on top of a pair of faux leather pants, and a thin studded belt beside it. On the floor at the foot of the bed was a pair of high-heeled ankle boots, with two buckled straps wrapped around each, spiked studs along the top in front. All in black. My gaze flickered back and forth between the clothing and my sweet, somewhat reserved girlfriend, and nothing seemed to be adding up. "Um, Bella?"

Her eyes rose to look at me and she watched as I gestured to the garments before drawing in a deep breath and letting it out in a sigh. "Okay, so there's something you don't know about me. I have a thing for hair and rock bands. From Metallica and Motörhead to Poison and Mötley Crüe, I love them all. And one of the girls at work told me about this concert at the park tonight. It's this cover band that does all of that kind of music and I really want to go, but I know that's not your thing. I wouldn't want to bore you to tears on a date like that."

I sat down on the edge of her bed with my eyes on the clothing again. "And you couldn't just tell me that? I don't understand the secrecy, Bella."

She was quiet for a moment and I looked up to her again, and her head was tilted sarcastically. "Edward, Poison was my favorite band when I was a teenager, and it wasn't even considered 'cool' to like them back in the eighties when they were _popular_. Jimmy used to tease me relentlessly about it, saying I didn't know real music and used to like men who looked like girls, and so on. Now, it's a part of me I keep tucked away in the past, but once in a while, I like to do things like this. I just do it on my own."

My jaw clenched at the mention of her ex-husband and I could feel the tendons in my neck tighten. I wasn't jealous of the fucker; far from it. He was just fortunate that he was already living in another state by the time I met Bella. For the first six months of our relationship, the self-conscious bubble she had built around herself throughout the duration of their marriage surrounded her, and she very seldom spoke out or voiced her opinion on much of anything. Since then, she'd gradually begun coming out of her shell. So watching her even slightly crawl back into it over something as trivial as a music preference, infuriated me.

I stood slowly and her body tensed, and she watched every step I took closely. She looked terrified, and I couldn't just sit there and watch. "I'll be back."

 **BPOV**

I really thought Edward was different. Yet, as I watched him storm out of my room and shortly thereafter, heard my apartment door slam closed, I just felt sick to my stomach. I wasn't sure what to think or feel at that moment. I had never witnessed that level of anger in him, particularly over something so small. And _never_ at me. Was he _that_ mad at me because I hadn't told him the full reason behind my cancellation of our date? Or like my ex-husband, was he embarrassed by me?

The first option, I could understand to a degree. Honesty was something he and I were adamant about in our relationship, especially after the experiences we'd had in our marriages. Even with as unhappy as I was with Jimmy, I was absolutely heartbroken when I came home that day to find him screwing our housekeeper in the living room. He hadn't even tried to be discreet about it at all; there in broad daylight, knowing I could walk in at any time to see her bent over the back of our couch while he fucked her from behind. At least she'd had the decency to look ashamed and embarrassed. Jimmy, my husband of nearly twelve years, just shrugged and began to casually get dressed, and even had the audacity to blame me for the affair, stating that it was my fault for being "a lazy fuck". That sent my already low self-esteem plummeting, and even then, I didn't leave him right away. I believed him when he told me no one else would want me, and I had no way to support myself. It wasn't until three months later, when he left me for that very same housekeeper, that the divorce was finally initiated, leaving me feeling extremely naïve and stupid.

The memory of all that made the second option that much more painful, and if I was being honest, it also made me angry. It took me so long to build my self-confidence up again after all those years of being knocked down for everything I was as a person, I could not believe that Edward would do that to me, too. He knew how much of a struggle it had been to build my trust again. Hell, it took over a month after we exchanged phone numbers for me even to agree to meet him for a casual dinner, let alone a full-fledged date. I never wanted a man to have the power affect my confidence so thoroughly again. And yet, he looked like he was ready to burst out laughing when I first told him my secret and he saw the clothes laid out on my bed. Then to storm out of my apartment like his ass was on fire, with only an "I'll be back"?

I didn't need that shit again—I deserved better.

However, I couldn't deny that it would also break my heart again to lose Edward. I didn't think I would ever allow another man into my life and heart, and I told myself I would _never_ fall in love again. It brought nothing but pain. Yet, Edward had made it difficult to not do just that. Not that I had expressed my feelings to him right away. In fact, a part of me had fought them. I was in denial for quite some time until he whispered the three little words in my ear after making love during a weekend getaway. He was sweet, understanding that I might not be there yet, but between the look in his eyes and the magic of the weekend, I couldn't help but express myself with the same sentiment. The fact that he'd been so surprised that I had felt the same, showing his own insecurities, almost made me jump out of the bed and go hunt down his ex-wife for making him think he was so difficult to love, or worse, unlovable.

Losing Edward would be devastating and I wasn't sure I could handle such an emotional blow. Even now, with everything suddenly up in the air because of his departure, just the _thought_ of losing him hurt a hundred times worse than finding Jimmy with Gianna. I was more in love with Edward than I had ever been with my ex-husband, even in the best of times of our marriage.

 _You should have listened to your better judgement, Bella,_ the voice in my head scolded me, and I felt the first tear burn its trek down my cheek.

I was such a ball of emotion as I sat there on the floor with my back against the bed, fluctuating between heartache and anger, that I didn't notice how much time had passed when Edward appeared in my doorway again. His shadow caught the edge of my vision, and I quickly closed my eyes, forcing another tear to fall.

"Oh my god, Bella. What's wrong?" Edward asked, his voice sounding genuinely concerned.

"I'm sorry I wasn't completely forthcoming about tonight. I know I should have told you the whole truth, but I didn't lie, either. And if this is all it takes to make you check out on us, then don't let the door slam you in the ass on the way out," I snapped angrily, trying to mask the ache growing in my chest.

Edward was silent for a moment before I heard him quickly move and join me on the floor, his hand settling on my shoulder. "What are you talking about? I'm not going anywhere. Is that what you thought when I left?" His grip tightened a little and something that sounded like regret was evident in his tone. "Shit, I am so sorry, baby."

His arms circled around me, and though I fought him at first, he hugged me to him. I froze when my cheek met fabric that felt like silk and I slowly opened my eyes, my gaze trailing from the light smattering of chest hair where his shirt parted, following the long silver chain hanging around his neck, before finally meeting his eyes. Then I looked to his hair, which was a little fuller than usual, and pulled back from him abruptly with a shocked gasp. "What the hell?"

I rose from the floor, gaping at him with wide eyes as I took in the rest of him when he stood as well. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, because the man in front of me bore little resemblance to my boyfriend of three years. In fact, he looked more like Jon Bon Jovi, circa 1986, minus the long, wild mane of hair. In addition to the almost completely open front, burgundy silk button down, he was wearing jeans so tight, I couldn't imagine _how_ they could possibly be comfortable, particularly in certain areas. But damn, if they didn't look fucking awesome on him, along with one thing I never understood how they looked good on any man, but did on some—knee high black suede leather boots, complete with fringe trim.

Something wasn't adding up.

"Edward, what are you doing?" I asked, folding my arms over my chest and narrowing my eyes at him suspiciously. "What is all this?"

Was this some sick joke? It was far from fucking funny.

Edward stepped closer to me, his hand reaching into his back pocket, but kept whatever he'd extracted hidden from my view. "It's my turn for a bit of a confession. Even if I _could_ be that much of a dick as to make fun of you the way _he_ did, which I would hope after all this time that you'd know I never would, I really can't. I try not to make a habit of being a hypocrite."

I watched Edward's face and his expression was that of complete sincerity, and I instantly felt like an absolute ass. Not once in the three years we'd been together had he given me reason to doubt him, or worse, assume that it would take something so minute to cause him to leave me. Why was I so quick to assume such a thing about him after everything we'd been through? Yet, that still didn't explain what he was talking about.

"I'm really sorry, Edward. I guess old habits die hard. I didn't mean to compare you to him, but I don't understand how that would make you a hypocrite."

Rather than answer me with words, he let out a short, breathy laugh and finally brought his hand out from behind his back and held it out to me. Between his fingers appeared to be an old, worn photograph, and I involuntarily gasped when I took hold of it, my eyes rapidly shifting between the image and Edward. "As you can see, you're not the only one with a bit of a secret in their past. This was me, Jasper, and Garrett in college."

"No fucking way!" I exclaimed, taking even Edward by surprise. It was rare when I used such language in his presence, outside of the bedroom. My best friend and colleague recommended I tone down my cursing at work years ago, and the suggestion bled into my everyday practice. "Sorry, but this deserves a big _oh my fuck_." My eyes snapped to his, which had considerably narrowed. "I'm not making fun, I promise. I'm no hypocrite, either."

He offered me a small smile, but there was no missing the slight blush to his cheeks. Damn, I loved this man. Before I got lost in his pretty, green eyes, I focused on the issue. Or in this case, the bomb he just dropped on me.

My eyes widened even more as my eyes returned to the photo and examined it more closely. Scrutinizing the three faces, there was absolutely no denying that it _was_ Edward and his two closest friends, Jasper and Garrett, but that was where the familiarity with the three men I knew ended. Never in a million years would I have correlated a surgeon, and investment banker, and the owner of one of the largest construction firms in Seattle with the three longhaired, rockeresque-looking, leather wearing, bad boys. They looked more like Guns n' Roses wannabes than the professional suit and tie individuals I'd become acquainted with over the last three years. It took me a couple of minutes to be able to form words at all, and when I finally did, I still couldn't contain my disbelief. "Is this some kind of joke? You guys were in private school, for crying out loud. I doubt any of this fit into dress code. Did you Photoshop this or something to make me feel like less of a loser?"

"First of all, Bella, even if I'd had the time to Photoshop this, you know the extent of my computer expertise is successfully pressing the power button," Edward answered in a sarcastic tone, and I nodded—he had a point. With a scalpel in his hand, he was absolutely brilliant, but when it came to computers, he was hopeless. He had difficulty navigating to the solitaire program on my laptop, and his nurse updated all his charts and surgical schedules at work. Edward was notorious for being technologically impaired when it came to computers. I sighed and lowered my eyes to the floor, until I felt his hands on my hips. My gaze met his again when he pulled me closer to him and brushed a soft kiss on my lips. "And most importantly, you are far from a loser, baby. I would love to go with you to this concert tonight, if that's okay with you. I think it would be fun for us, and I have to admit, I'm dying to see you looking so damn sexy in these clothes."

I lightly swatted his shoulder when his hands lowered to cup my ass and give it a gentle squeeze, but then wrapped my arms securely around him and kissed his neck. I knew he didn't mean it disrespectfully—he was joking _with_ me rather than _about_ me, and if possible, it made me love him even more. It felt so good to reveal something like that about myself, and not only did he not make fun of me, he was right there _with_ me. "Okay, on one condition."

Edward lifted his head from my shoulder to look at me with a confused expression. "What's that?"

"I'm gonna need you to turn around so I can see how cute your butt looks in those jeans," I replied seriously, but then began to giggle at his playful growl, followed by a laugh when he started tickling me. "I'm kidding…sorta."

Edward didn't have a chance to react before I scooted around him to grab my outfit and boots, and lifted the back of his shirt to catch a glimpse of his ass.

"Damn, babe," I replied, fanning myself and whistling.

"I'll have you know, I feel objectified," he called out to me as I hurried across the hall to the bathroom to change, laughing, and was relieved to hear his join it a moment later.

"Oh, and I'm also keeping the picture!" That ended his laughter; I doubted his friends would enjoy the fact that he shared the photo.

It amazed me how much lighter I felt just in the past few minutes, and all thanks to the incredible man in the next room. If that night proved anything, it was how free we could actually be with each other. We truly never had to feel the need to be anyone but ourselves with one another. So why hadn't he shared this part of his past with me before that night, when he'd always been pretty open with me? "So, while I'm getting ready, spill the details. I honestly imagined you more like Brandon Priestley a la 90210 than Sebastian Bach."

After getting a good chuckle out of that, he began to explain that while all three of them _were_ in private school, uniforms and all, they'd always been the misfits. Edward had even had Garrett pierce his ear when they were fourteen, which got him grounded for a month. When they weren't in school, they wore the ripped jeans and band tees, listened to both metal and glam rock, and even formed a garage band. Once they graduated, they all began growing out their hair and took a year off to focus on their music. They only managed to acquire a handful of gigs before the following summer, and they'd made a deal with their parents to start college that year, no matter what. They had planned to keep up with their band, but life took them in separate directions, and for a couple years, even in different parts of the country. And just before Edward was to start med school, they got together for one last photo and jam session before he sheared off his long hair and began down the path to become the respected surgeon he was today.

"Wait a minute," I interrupted his story, pausing in the teasing of my hair. "Are you saying that you haven't dressed like this since before med school, and you just _happened_ to have this outfit lying around? If you tell me you still fit into the clothes you wore in college, I might start crying here."

"The shirt, yes. But no, Bella, I wouldn't fit into the jeans I wore over twenty years ago with a shoehorn. Hell, I had trouble getting into these, and I just bought them six years ago for a Halloween party," Edward answered with a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Okay, that makes me feel a _little_ bit better," I replied, putting the finishing touches on my hair. "So, I explained my reasons behind never telling you about all this. Why didn't _you_ ever mention it? The only thing you ever really told me about your childhood was the private school thing."

"Actually, that was my mother that told you about the private school, not me," Edward pointed out, and upon reflection, I found that he was right. "As for this, it's just a chapter of my life I closed a long time ago, and never found a reason to really think about since we've been together, until tonight."

"That's a shame," I replied, pressing my lips together to even out my lipstick and spraying one last mist of Aquanet to my wild hair, before opening the door and stepping out into the hall. "Because your ass really does look great in those jeans."

Edward turned around quickly to look at me and leaned back against the wall, his jaw dropping a little. His eyes ran the entire length of my body several times and then a wicked grin appeared on his lips. "Well, what's fair is fair. I showed you mine."

With pursed lips, I folded my arms over my chest and shook my head. "Not willingly, but since I'm in a generous mood…"

I trailed off my statement, turning around and looking at him over my shoulder, and gave my hips a little shake. He growled softly and moved up behind me, circling his arms around my waist and kissing up my neck.

"Fuck, Bella," he rasped in a husky voice, pulling my ass against him, and I felt the effect I was having on him. I had to admit, that really sent my confidence soaring.

"We don't have time for that. The concert is in less than two hours." I turned my head to brush a kiss on his lips, laughing when I saw that some of my lipstick had transferred over onto him. Taking his hand, I led him back into my bedroom and grabbed a tissue to wipe it off, and I couldn't keep my eyes off him. "Something's not right. Can I see that photo again?" Edward eyed me skeptically, but gestured to my bedside table where it lay next to my alarm clock. "My hair doesn't grow as fast as it used to, and even if it did, there'd be no way I would get it like that for tonight without a wig. And I tried that for the party. It looked awful."

"No, it's not the hair, although that _was_ pretty sexy," I replied, giving him a wink, and then returned my gaze to the picture. It took me a moment, but then I couldn't stop the wide grin. "I got it!"

I set the picture down on my table again and rushed back into the bathroom, returning with my hands behind my back. Edward began shaking his head with a smile of his own. "I am almost afraid to ask what you have hidden from me."

My smile broadened as I held up my black eyeliner pencil and his hand rose to cover his face. "You know you have to."

Edward's hand lowered to reveal him laughing and shaking his head. "Baby, I haven't done that in years. I'd probably poke my eye out."

I stepped closer to him and removed the cap of the pencil. "Do you trust me?"

Our gazes locked and he nodded. "Implicitly."

Like a natural, Edward looked up and stretched his face as I lightly dragged the pencil tip along the lower rim of his eyes. His hands settled on my hips, and I had to press up against him to get it just right. I wasn't sure if it was the clothes, the warmth of the night, or just our incredible chemistry, but I wanted to kiss him so badly. From the part in his lips and the way his throat bobbed as his breathing deepened, I'd say he was feeling it, too.

"All done," I whispered, biting my lip as I worked my fingers through his hair and brushed my thumbs over the hints of gray at his temples. "You look really good. Hot, actually." He shook his head and tried to hide his smile. "If we would've met back then…"

"I would have ended up in jail," he said, his hands wandering over the curve of my waist and down to my ass. As he was six years older than I was, he had a point. At this stage in life, the age difference between us was barely noticeable and inconsequential, but when he was nineteen, I would have been thirteen. Yeah, that would have been a problem, but still. There was no missing the way his hips shifted slightly to get a little more friction. As much as I wanted to explore the thoughts running through his mind, we were going to be late if we did.

"Still, I would've had hearts in my eyes and did the whole sigh thing over the seriously sexy older boy," I said, shrugging and pressing my lips to his scruffy jawline. It was rare when he didn't shave, but occasionally, he skipped it for me. "You ready to go?"

He cocked an eyebrow and looked down between our bodies. There was no missing the effect my leather pants still had on him. "I'm going to need a minute."

I winked and decided to search for my purse, opting to grab my driver's license and some cash for drinks. "We should just grab a taxi tonight. Your place is closer, mind if I spend the night?" I looked back to find his eyes on my backside. Laughing, I threw a balled up receipt from lunch at him. He snapped his eyes up to meet mine, not one bit ashamed of being caught. "Did you even hear anything I said?"

"Yes, I did. First of all, like you need permission to spend the night where you'll be living soon anyway? And besides, do you honestly think I'd let you go home without getting you out of those pants first?" It was his turn to smirk and wink, adjusting himself as he walked over. He cradled my face and the look in his eyes went serious. "Don't hide yourself from me, please. I want to know everything about you, Bella. I plan on spending the rest of my life with you, and there's nothing that I don't want to learn about you."

It wasn't the first time he mentioned sharing a life together, but we were both so damn determined to get it right this time, we'd never spoken too long term. I was a little surprised, but that was a discussion for a later time.

"I won't, but there might be a little more cursing and singing along with the radio from now on."

His gorgeous mouth tipped up on one side. "I'm all for half-naked headbanging every weekend." He pressed his lips to mine, the slow slide of his tongue almost decadent against my own. "Fuck, you're not wearing a bra." His eyes wandered further down, his thumbs grazing over the soft fabric of my t-shirt, my nipple reacting instantly. "Call for the cab. If we don't get out of here soon…"

I nodded, my throat dry, hungry for everything he was offering. My fingers struggled to press the right buttons on my phone, but once the call was made, I tossed it on the bed. "Fifteen minutes." I grabbed a handful of the leather jacket he'd just put on and pulled him closer. "Until then, I want to have another taste."

He groaned, and soon, we were lost to the heat of the moment, only pulling apart at the sound of a car honking outside several minutes later. After checking his lips one last time for any traces of my lipstick, I grabbed my jacket as well and we headed out. Once settled in the back of the taxi, I listened to the young driver named Mike and Edward talk about the music we'd hear at the outdoor concert once we told him of our destination. He reminded me of Edward's own son, a spitting image of his father, and the way he always talked about subjects of interest to him with such passion. Again, so much like his dad.

"You two look great," Mike said as he dropped us off at the park's entrance. "Enjoy the night."

After giving the driver a generous tip and thanking him, Edward wrapped his arm securely around my shoulders and began leading me to the grass. "You really do look great, have I told you that yet?"

I laughed and nodded as his lips pressed against my forehead, and I circled my arm around his waist. The further we walked, the more I realized that I hadn't thought my wardrobe for the evening completely through. With each step, it seemed my heels began sinking deeper and deeper into the soft ground. "Well, this night will probably result in a broken ankle, but it'll be so worth it."

"Just hang onto me, you'll be fine," he said, wrapping his arm around my back, until the tips of his fingers grazed the side of my breast.

"Are you sure it's not too much of an inconvenience to help me?" It was clear he wasn't buying my feigned concern, considering the twitch to his lips.

"Dressed as you are, it's such a hardship." His fingers slowly slid down my side again, grazing along my hip.

I couldn't help but laugh, because his look of innocence was almost believable. His mother loved to tell me stories about his childhood and how often he got away with things with just a glance at his big green eyes. Decades later, my man could still pull it off. Thank God, I was immune. Well, at least some of the time. He had a dimple, and when that sucker came out to play, I was done for and he knew it.

"I'm so glad I walked in on you moaning," he said somewhat cheekily, the threat of the dimple making an appearance was imminent. "Seeing you like this, smiling this broadly, and laughing so carefree, I feel like I'm really seeing you for the first time."

I felt bad, because in some ways, he was right. Although I had been more open with Edward than I ever had with anyone else in my entire life, I'd never done so completely. Then again, it seemed that I was not the only one. I hooked my thumb in the back pocket of his jeans and gave it a little tug. "I could say the same about you, mister."

Edward turned his head so his eyes met mine, his hand securing around my side and pulling me closer. "Complete honesty about everything from now on, for both of us, even if it's embarrassing. Agreed?"

"You've got yourself a deal," I replied with a wide smile and we sealed our promise with a firm kiss. "Now let's get a drink and find a spot. It's time to get this party started."

Edward chuckled as I bounced a little in my step, steadying me when my heel sunk into the grass again, and led me further across the park. After grabbing a couple of beers, we began walking toward the stage area and I sighed. The entire lawn was packed, with only a few empty spots scattered around, and I couldn't help but feel a little upset. I'd intended to leave early to find a good place to stand a bit closer to the stage, but then I realized, had I done that, Edward would not have been there with me.

And that was something I wouldn't trade for the world.

Once the band hit the stage and began to play, all other thought completely left my mind as I lost myself in the music. I was in heaven—everything from Twisted Sister to Bon Jovi was coming through the speakers, and I had the man I loved standing behind me with his free arm around my middle. Every once in a while, a shiver would run through me as his fingers brushed the slivers of skin between the fringe of my shirt and I felt his breath against my neck as he sang along. Every now and then he would press a soft kiss to my skin, letting me know how much he loved being with me for this.

A familiar series of guitar notes rang through the air, causing me to cover my face and I felt Edward's chest move with his laughter against my back. If I lived to be one hundred, I would never be able to listen to "Welcome to the Jungle" the same way ever again.

Once the song came to an end and I thought I had recovered from it, Edward stole my breath away again as the next one started. Although he had known the words to pretty much everything that had played through the night, I had expected this to be one of the few times he remained silent. Just as when I was a teenager, a few measures into the song, and my eyes already began misting. I closed them and leaned my head back against Edward's chest, and then began to sing softly, and to my surprise, so did Edward. I froze and spun my head to look at him, and his gaze met mine. None of my male friends in high school would have ever admitted even knowing who Trixter was, let alone unabashedly singing along in public to one of their sappiest songs.

"All I wanted was to love you, never wanted to see you cry. All I need is just to hold you, I just can't say goodbye," he sang softly in my ear, brushing his lips against my cheek, where a tear had escaped. My hand rose to circle around the back of his neck, my fingers toying with the ends of his hair as I joined him. "Sometimes we raise our guns of pain, but I'll be your defender. 'Cause if love means war, then baby I surrender."

It's strange when the moments that one would think were so insignificant, can be life altering for some. Standing there, swaying in Edward's arms and both of us engrossed in the words of a simple song, everything became clear. He was my perfect match, everything I could ever want or need in my partner in life. I knew right then that I absolutely _would_ spend the rest of my life with him—and all it took was a Trixter song to seal it for me.

"What's so funny?" Edward whispered in my ear when I laughed at the last thought running through my mind. I shook my head and turned in his arms to face him, circling my arms around his waist, inside his jacket. "You're laughing at nothing?"

"I'm happy," I mouthed, rising onto my toes to kiss him. My hands slid into his back pockets and I pressed my body firmly against him, pulling back so he could read my lips. "I love you so much."

"Love you more," he said back and then covered my mouth with his, kissing me deeply. For once, I didn't care about being proper and discreet. It was nice to let go and feel young again, while still not being grotesque.

For several songs, we swayed and stared into each other's eyes, no matter the tempo of the song. We were lost in each other, until the crowd around us erupted in cheers to the sound of a sliding guitar. Even I whispered a "fuck yes" with the opening notes of "Without You" by Mötley Crüe, my head dropping back so fast that Edward had to keep me from stumbling back on my ass. After laughing a little at my almost-mishap, I wrapped my arms around his neck and his tightened around my waist, and his forehead lowered to press against mine. Our eyes closed and lips only an inch apart, we danced in a slow circle in our little spot of the lawn, and no moment of my life had ever been more perfect. I lowered my head to rest on his shoulder and felt his lips on my forehead as we sang through the chorus, but once the guitar began again, Edward whispered the words to me that I thought I would never hear.

"Marry me, Bella?"

My head rose again slowly to look him in the eye, expecting to find a hint of regret. In all our discussions about the future, marriage had definitely never been a topic of discussion. We'd both had bad experiences, so honestly, I would have been just as happy to simply live with Edward for the rest of my life, and I thought he felt the same. I waited for the panic to set in, since my marriage had taken so much from me, even motherhood. I was determined to never allow anyone to have that much power over my life again, as was he.

Yet, the regret never made an appearance in his features, until I didn't answer in any way. "I'm sorry, Bella. Forget I said anyth—"

I silenced him by sealing my lips over his and jumping up to wrap my legs around his waist. Despite everything that I had been through, my answer was clear. I pulled away to look into his eyes and smiled. "Yes."

I hugged him tight and felt his lips against my neck, and we remained perfectly still for the remainder of the song, relishing in the moment. The night had been nothing less than amazing to begin with, and now, it was unforgettable.

Edward finally set me down and we contentedly listened and sang along to the remainder of the set. The final song came on and I started getting more excited, until I noticed a few of the girls in front of us getting up on their companions' shoulders, making it impossible for me to see anything. Not that I really _needed_ to, but I would have liked to see one of my favorite songs by my favorite band being played.

I felt Edward lose contact with me and my hand shot out to grab his arm before he could move too far away. "What are you doing?"

"You can be a little inconsiderate for once in your life, Bella. It's for Poison…sorta," he replied, lowering onto one knee and gesturing for me to get onto his shoulders.

"Edward, no way, I will fall!"

Taking my hand and pulling me closer, he shook his head. "I won't let you fall. I promised, remember?"

I contemplated for a split second and then swung my legs over his shoulders, squealing a little when he started to stand, but his hands secured on my thighs to hold me in place. He had no trouble carrying me; I shouldn't have been surprised. His strength was evident since day one, remaining very healthy and running daily. I held on to his hands on the top of my thighs, screaming along with some of the others around us. When I felt more confident in _my_ ability to remain balanced, I raised my hands in the air, singing along with my fiancé. And yet again, there was no sense of panic at the thought of getting married. There was no removing the smile on my face, and from Edward's chuckle, looking up at me, he loved it.

"Oh my god, that was fucking fantastic!" I exclaimed as Edward lowered to the ground so I could climb off his shoulders. However, before I could step away, he hooked his arms around my knees and hoisted me onto his back. "Oh good. I was dreading walking across this lawn again, and in the dark this time. Thank you for reading my mind, baby."

"Well, I'm not liking the look of some of these men walking out of here. I don't think that was just soda they were drinking," Edward grumbled, and then suddenly asked me to hold on tight to him. I was confused for a moment until he walked to the side of the stage where there was a donation jar for the concert. He pulled out his wallet and discreetly slipped a hundred dollar bill into the jar, tapping the top with his hand and adding a "thank you very much".

"I'm sure they will be reeling from that kind of donation. I'm guessing you had a good time, then?" I asked and kissed his cheek.

"Amazing time. Only way it could have been better is if I'd had a ring to give you." And there it was, the look of regret—just thankfully not the one I'd been expecting earlier.

"Even the most elaborate ring couldn't have made that moment any better. It's just a piece of jewelry, Edward," I replied, resting my head against his and closing my eyes. All the excitement of the evening was catching up with me.

"So are you saying you don't want a ring?" Edward asked jokingly and I lightly bit at his neck. "I'm glad you had a good time tonight, though, Bella."

I hummed contentedly and rested my head on his shoulder again. "So now that I know about your headbanging days, what's your stance on boybands?"

"I draw the line at boybands, Bella," Edward said with a firm shake of his head, but was unable to hide his laugh.

"That's too bad. Guess it's a good thing One Direction is on hiatus, then, huh?" I teased and turned my lips to his ear and whispered, "Bye bye bye."

"That's 'NSync, babe, not One Direction," Edward corrected me, hoisting me a little higher on his back.

"You 'draw the line at boybands', but you know _that_ little tidbit?"

"Only because my niece dragged me to a concert because my sister was working that night, and I was scarred for life," he replied with a feigned shudder. "If there's ever a reunion tour for 'Nsync or New Kids…"

"NKOTB, been there, done that," I sang, pressing my chest extra tight against his back. He groaned. "Rosalie dragged me onto one of those cruises to celebrate my divorce."

"That was nice of your sister." Edward set me down by the park's exit, trying to hail a cab. "But I still draw the line with boybands." I tried my best to look disappointed, knowing he wouldn't be able to resist. I started to sing another 'NSync song, making him roll his eyes. "The things I do for love," he whispered, taking me in his arms. "Maybe Justin or JC, but that's it, babe."

"That's all I ask," I teased as a free cab pulled up and we climbed in, and then I snuggled up to his side. "I can't wait to get home."

His eyebrow rose, his gaze running down the length of my leather-clad legs. Then suddenly his eyes widened, until his smirk turned into a warm smile. "That's the first time you called my house 'home'."

I thought back to the last few weeks since I had agreed to move in and realized he was right. "Our home. I like the sound of that."

"I do, too. So, tomorrow we need to set some ground rules for our home."

"Oh yeah, what rules?" There was a curious glint in his eyes, almost mischievous. "Rules are meant to be broken, you know."

He laughed and tucked me closer to his side. "I wouldn't be opposed to Naked Headbanging Saturdays." Our laughter was unfiltered and perfect, and by the time we reached our house, I knew I'd finish with the move before the end of the weekend, a few weeks ahead of schedule.

Why wait? After all, Rocking-Out Sundays could be just as fun.


End file.
